Revealed Relationships (Revised and Reposted)
by ProLiferChelle
Summary: This slightly revised, partly AU story is set several years after Another World went off the air.
1. Chapter 1

Late one afternoon at the 23rd Precinct in Bay City, Illinois, Captain Joe Carlino had a surprise visitor, a man he had never met before.

"I can't wait to see the look on Paulina's face when I bring you home to dinner tonight," Joe said.

"Neither can I," said the man. "So much has happened since the last time I saw her."

"Well," said Joe, "you'll have time to catch up. You're staying in Bay City for awhile at least, aren't you?"

#####

Two hours later, Sofia was sitting on the front porch of the Carlino home when an obviously pregnant Paulina came out and said,

"Joe called a few minutes ago and told me he's bringing someone home to dinner."

"Oh? Who?" asked Sofia.

"He wouldn't tell me," Paulina answered. " He just said I'd be surprised."

"Here they are now," said Sofia.

"Hey, Blue Eyes," Joe said, with a big grin on his face, " look who's back in Bay City!"

Paulina let out a shriek. "Derek! It's so good to see you again!"

"It's good to see you, too," Derek said.

"This is my sister-in-law, Sofia," Paulina said.

"I'm glad to meet you," said Sofia.

"Likewise," Derek responded.

"Are Remy and Dante inside?" Joe asked

"No," said Paulina. "I let Remy take Dante to Foster Park, but they'll be back in time for supper."

"I have an idea," Joe said. "Why don't we turn off the oven, and eat at Carlino's tonight?" He turned to Derek. "You like Italian food, don't you?"

"I love it," Derek answered. "And I see that Paulina and I have some catching up to do. When is the new baby due?"

"In a few weeks," Paulina said.

####

Forty-five minutes later, Joe, Paulina, Sofia, Remy, Derek, and seven-year-old Dante were seated at a table at Carlino's, eating.

"This is the best Italian food I've ever tasted outside of Italy," Derek said.

"I didn't know you'd been to Italy," said Joe

"Yes," Derek said, "I've been to Rome and Florence."

Joe said, "Someday you've got to see Calabria."

"Paulina told me that's where your family came from," said Derek.

"Speaking of family," Paulina began. She looked at Joe, then looked at Derek, and then back at Joe again. Joe, understanding what Paulina meant, nodded in agreement.

"Speaking of family," Paulina continued, "we'd like you to do us a favor."

"Sure, if I can," said Derek.

"Well," Joe said, "Sofia and Remy are going to be the baby's godmothers, and we would be very pleased if you would agree to be his or her godfather."

Me?" said Derek, surprised. "Don't get me wrong, I'm really flattered, but let's face it, Joe. You and I don't really know each other that well yet."

"Look, Derek," Joe replied, "I realize that we just met today, but Paulina has always talked about you. In a way, you were Paulina's foster brother, and I know you

were the first person to ever look out for her. Because of that, I've always thought of you as family."

"Since you put it that way, I accept, and I thank you very much for the honor," Derek said.

####

Meanwhile, Grant Harrison, mayor of Bay City, was having a private meeting with Tito Banecek.

"Are you absolutely sure nobody saw or recognized you?" Grant asked.

"I'm positive,"Tito answered. "I've been careful to stay out of sight."

"Good," said Grant. "Let's keep it that way for now."

"I don't know," Tito said, "how much longer I _can _stay out of sight."

"You'll stay out of sight for as long as I tell you to," Grant told him.

"But it's been more than a month now," Tito complained. " I'm getting tired of this."

"Now isn't that just too bad? Let's get one thing straight, Tito," Grant said. "You will do exactly what I tell you to do when I tell you to do it, or you'll be  
>back in prison so fast, it will make your head spin. Don't forget, you were in for attempted murder. Specifically, for my attempted murder. Now this," Grant said, showing him<p>

a photograph, "is Sofia Carlino, Joe's sister. I want you to get to know her."

"But," Tito began.

"No buts," Grant said. "Get her to trust you. That is how you will renew your involvement with the family. And when you talk to Sofia for the first time, don't let on that you  
>already know who she is."<p> 


	2. Chapter 2

The next day, Tito, wearing a hooded grey jacket to avoid recognition, walked past the library. He saw Sofia seated at a table reading a magazine, walked inside and approached her.

"Excuse me," he whispered, "but is anybody sitting here?"

"Just me," Sofia whispered back. She looked up, and her eyes narrowed. "Wait a minute. I know who you are, even with that hood on. You're Tito Banecek."

"You must have me mixed up with someone else."

"No, I don't," Sofia hissed. "Now, please sit someplace else. I have nothing to say to you."

"There's no need to be hostile," said Tito

"Hostile? After what you did to my family?"

"Look, I don't know what you're talking about. I don't even know who you are."

"I'm Sofia Carlino."

"And is that supposed to mean something to me?" Tito asked, remembering that Grant had warned him to proceed with caution.

"Does the name Paulina Carlino mean anything to you?" Sofia asked sarcastically. "You remember. You pretended to be her long-lost son."

"I don't know what you're talking about," said Tito.

Sofia stood up, saying through her teeth, "I don't even want to be in the same room with you."

She walked out of the library as quickly as she could.

###

Felicia was going over the receipts at Tops when she heard a familiar voice.

"Hello, Fanny."

"Derek!" Felicia threw her arms around him. "When did you get here?"

"Yesterday," Derek answered, kissing her on the cheek.

"So what are your plans?" Felicia asked. "I was SO proud when you wrote and told me that you'd gotten your degree."

"I'm hoping to teach at Bay City University," Derek said.

"And where will you be staying?"

"For now, with the Carlino family. Paulina and Joe insisted that I stay in their guest room."

###

After his encounter with Sofia, Tito telephoned Grant.

"You're not supposed to call me," Grant reminded him. "You're supposed to wait for me to call you."

"We have a problem," Tito said. "I ran into Sofia at the library."

"And?" Grant said.

"She knew who I was."

"Well," Grant said, "this means we're going to have to change our strategy. You will meet Sofia again, and you will admit that she was right, that you are Tito Banecek," Grant said,

"and then you will convince her that you regret everything you did to her family, and you want her to help you to make amends."

"How do I do that?"

"You figure it out. I'm the man who got you out of prison, so you owe me. Never forget, you owe me."

"All right. So I pretend I've reformed," Tito agreed.

"And you get Sofia to trust you."

"And then what?" asked Tito

"And then, when the time is right," Grant said, "I'll drop the bombshell. The good citizens of Bay City are going to learn that Captain Joseph Carlino never was the saint

he pretends to be."


	3. Chapter 3

That evening, Joe, Paulina, Sofia, and Dante were seated around the supper table. Paulina had made a meatloaf, which looked and smelled delicious.

"I didn't tell you who I saw at the library today," Sofia said.

"Who?" Joe asked.

"Tito Banecek."

"No!" Remy exclaimed. "Don't tell me that low-life is back in Bay City!"

"I told him in no uncertain terms to keep away from me," Sofia said.

"Well," Joe said, "if _I _see him, I'll tell him in no uncertain terms that he'd better not mess with my family again."

The doorbell rang. Joe got up to answer, muttering about people who telephoned or rang the doorbell at mealtimes. He returned several minutes later, carrying a package.

"Who's that for?" Paulina asked.

"It's for me and Sofia."

"Both of us?"

"Yes, Bambina, both of us," Joe said. "It's from great-aunt Sofia."

"Mama's favorite aunt," said Sofia, "and my godmother."

"But why," Joe wondered, "would she send us a package out of the blue?"

"Maybe we should open it," Sofia suggested.

"We'll open it after supper," Joe agreed. "Now, let's eat!"

"I'm too curious to wait," Sofia said.

"Okay, Bambina," Joe gave in, "you can open it now."

"Thanks, Joey," Sofia said, opening the package to find an old diary and a sealed envelope.

###

"I think you should be the one to read the diary," Joe said to Sofia when supper was over, and everyone else was sitting on the porch.

"Maybe," Sofia answered," we should find out what's in the letter first."

"Good thinking, Bambina," Joe said. He opened the envelope, took out the letter, and read it out loud.

"Dear Joe and Sofia,

I was cleaning out my attic, and I found a diary your mother kept in 1957, when she was a teenager. I don't remember how thisdiary came into my possession, but it contains some information that I think you should have."

Love,

Great-Aunt Sofia."

"Well," Sofia said, "we might as well read Mama's diary and find out what this is all about."

Remy came inside and said, "I just want to say goodnight. Nick and I are going to a movie."

"Have a good time."

"Thanks, Dad."

After Remy had gone, Joe and Sofia, sitting side by side on the couch, began to read the diary their mother had kept as a girl.

###

In the theater, before the movie started, Remy whispered to Nick, "You won't believe who's back in Bay City."

"Who?" Nick asked.

"Tito Banecek"

"No!" said Nick. "That low-life is supposed to be in prison."

"Well, my Aunt Sofia saw him at the library. He SAID she was mistaken, but she knew him from his picture."

"He's lucky I didn't see him," Nick muttered.

"I think the movie is about to start," whispered Remy.

###

Joe and Sofia finished reading the diary.

"Poor Mama." Sofia's voice broke. "I can't... I can't believe she went through that."

Joe brushed his hand across his eyes. "And we never knew any of it."

"Well," Sofia asked, "now that we do know, what should we do?"

"I'm not sure yet, Bambina. This is something we're going to have to think about."

"Maybe," Sofia said, "there's only one right thing to do."

"I guess you're right," Joe agreed. "The question is, where do we start?"


	4. Chapter 4

Sofia, alone in her bedroom that night, re-read certain parts of her mother's diary.

"If Mama and Daddy knew that I was going with an older boy, they'd ground me for life. But he is so sweet, so handsome... I'm not writing his name just in case someone sees this diary."

Sofia skipped a few pages.

"I'm not sure if I can write about what happened tonight. I thought he was so nice, so caring.. but tonight he... no. I won't write it down, and I'm never going to tell anybody...what happened tonight. I'm just going to try to forget. If I CAN forget."

Sofia skipped a few pages.

"I don't know what to do now. I just found out I'm pregnant. I'm only fourteen, and I'm pregnant. Pregnant by a rapist. Now I'll HAVE to tell Mama and Daddy everything."

Sofia turned the page.

"Mama and Daddy have been so good about this. No lectures, no "We warned you." Just love and support. But Daddy did say that it's a good thing that...(I won't write the word Daddy used) doesn't live around here any more. (His family moved to Chicago a few weeks ago.)"

Sofia went on to the next page.

"Mama and I are going to stay with Aunt Sofia for awhile. Daddy arranged for me to be excused from school for a "family emergency." My lessons will be mailed to the house, and Daddy will forward them to me. As if school even mattered right now!"

Sofia paged through the diary again.

"It's over. My baby, my son, is gone. I pray to God that his adoptive parents will be good, kind, loving people.  
>Aunt Sofia has been wonderful through all this. If I ever have a daughter, I will name her Sofia."<p>

###

The next day, Derek and Felicia were having a conversation in Felicia's living room.

"As I grow older," Derek began, "I want more and more to know who I really am."

"You are Derek Dane, one of the sweetest guys I've ever known," Felicia said.

"That's just it, Fanny. I'm not Derek Dane. Not really. Oh, yes, my first name is Derek, but Dane is not my real last name, not the name of either one of my parents. I was named the way the foundlings in Oliver Twist were." He quoted:

"We name our foundlings in alphabetical order. The last was a S,-Swubble, I named him. This was a T,-Twist, I named _him_The next one comes will be Unwin, and the next Vilkins. I have got names ready made to the end of the alphabet, and all the way through it again, when we come to Z."

"Does it really matter so much to you?" Felicia asked. "I mean, if you found your parents, what would you do?"

"I don't know," Derek admitted. "Maybe nothing. Maybe, if they are alive, try to get in touch with them. But even if I never get to meet them, I'd like to know about the family I never knew. Do I have any siblings? Am I an uncle? Things like that."

"I understand," Felicia said, "and I'll do anything I can to help you."

####

Sofia was at CARLINO'S, helping Paulina in the kitchen.

"Joe told me about your mother's diary," Paulina said quietly.

"I think I'm glad that you know," Sofia said. "It's just too bad Joey can't get his hands on that lowlife who..." Sofia could not finish her sentence.

Paulina nodded.

"But don't forget," she told Sofia, "that he must be an old man by now, if he is still alive."

"I hope he is dead." Sofia spoke with unusual vindictiveness. "I hope he is dead, and, God forgive me, I hope he is in Hell!"

####

Miles from Bay City, in the Wechsler Nursing Home, an old man sat in a rocking chair, rocking back and forth slowly, very slowly, and muttering, "God forgive me. God forgive me."


End file.
